Steam Washers and Dryers: How We Tested

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The addition of steam is the latest trend in laundry. In washing machines, this technology enhances cleaning power: In many of the wash cycles, you can select to add steam, which helps to loosen greasy, saturated, dried-on stains and grime from fabrics. In the regular drying cycles, steam dryers perform no differently than machines that lack steam; however, with their additional steam cycles, they both refresh and relax wrinkles from dry clothing in the time it takes you to get ready. Is the addition of steam worth the premium price? The Good Housekeeping Research Institute did the work to find out.

For the steam washers, we first evaluated the overall cleaning ability of small (six-pound) and large (12-pound) mixed loads. We then assessed whether the addition of steam improved cleaning power by washing six-pound loads that included fabric swatches stained with 20 stains (like mustard, lipstick, cola, and spaghetti sauce) both with and without steam and comparing the results. We also tested the washers' gentleness on fabrics and measured water usage.

The steam dryers were tested first for drying time of our small and large loads. Then we put their steam cycles to work, evaluating wrinkle removal from a few very wrinkled dry garments and from a load we left sitting overnight. The dryers' energy usage was also recorded.

For both appliances, we reviewed the control panels, determined how easy it was to access the tub and drum, examined special features, read the manual, and called customer service to check responsiveness and helpfulness. Last, a consumer panel rated each appliance for style and appearance.